Rotary corn-grader.



rinrn ORRAL E. CRAIG, OF ISABEL, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY CORN-GRADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Application filed December 29, 1910. Serial No. 599,927.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORRAL E. CRAIG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Isabel, in the county of Edgar and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Corn-Graders; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary graders or separatorsfor corn, seeds or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a separator or grader of thischaracter in which the grain, seeds or the like fed therethrough will beseparated into different grades according to the size of the same.

Another object is to provide a grader of the class described having animproved construction and arrangement of seed receiving trough wherebythe different sizes of seeds separated by the grading mechanism arereceived and conducted to separate receptacles tacles provided toreceive the same.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts aswill be more fully described and particularly pointed out in theappended claim.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsection of a grader constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2is a central vertical cross section; Fig. 3 is a similar View on theline 83 of Fig. 1. 1

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the body portionor trough of my improved grader, said trough having its sides inclinedinwardly toward their lower ends as shown. In the bottom of the troughare arranged inclined deflecting plates 2 and 3, the plate 2 of which isarranged in one end of the trough and the plate 8 of which extends froma point near the opposite end as shown. The inner lower ends of theplates terminate a short distance from each other and form a narrowdischarge passage 4 through which the seed passing through the mainportion of the separating mechanism is discharged. The space in the endof the trough between the outer end of the deflecting plate 3 is dividedby an inclined deflecting plate 5 into two discharge passages 6 and 7.Connected with the lower end of the discharge passage 6 is a dischargetube 8 while with the passage 7 is connected a discharge chute 9 saidtube and chute, as well as the discharge passage 4 being connected withsuitable receptacles provided to receive the grain or seed dischargedtherethrough. The trough 1 is supported upon suitable legs 10 andpreferably has the discharge end slightly lower than the inlet endthereof.

In one end of the trough is arranged a tubular journal or hearing 11while in the opposite end is arranged a bearing 12. Revolubly mounted inthe trough and extend ing from one end to the other thereof .is a doubleseparating cylinder or screen 13 comprising an outer shell or cylinder14L and an inner shell or cylinder 15. The shells 14- and 15 are securedat their opposite ends in heads 16 and 17 whereby said ends of thecylinders or shells are closed. In the outer cylinder are formedlongitudinal series ofoblong slots 18 between which are arranged rows ofcircular openings 19, said openings 19 being disposed opposite or inline with the spaces between the slots. The slots and circular openingsin the cylinder terminate a short distance from the discharge end of thecylinder as shown. In the inner cylinder are formed parallel rows oflongitudinally disposed discharge slots 20, said slots being arranged sothat the slots of one row are opposite to the spaces between the slotsof the adjacent rows. The slots 20 of the inner cylinder extendthroughout the entire length of the same or from one head to the otherof the cylinder, and said slots 20 are somewhat larger than the openingsin the outer cylinder. In the head 16 is formed a centrally disposedcircular bearing passage 21 which receives the projecting inner end ofthe tubular journal 11 in the end of the trough whereby this end of thescreen is revolubly supported. On the opposite head 17 is secured ashort stub shaft 22 which is revolubly engaged with the bearing 12 inthe adjacent end of the trough. The shaft 22 projects a suitabledistance beyond the end of the trough and is squared to receive a cranknot shown or other operating means Whereby the cylinder is revolved inthe trough.

In the discharge end of the outer cylinder adjacent to the inner side ofthe head 17 are formed a series of discharge passages 24: whichcommunicate with the discharge passage 6 .in the bottom of the troughwhereby the grain or seed which passes through the slots of the innercylinder but are too large to pass through the openings of the outercylinder are discharged. At one end of the passages 24 are formedinwardly projecting angular deflecting flanges 25 which prevent thegrain or corn from crowding over and clogging up the passages. In thehead 17 at diametrically opposite points and adjacent to the inner sideof this end of the inner cylinder are formed discharge passages 26through which the corn or grain too large to pass through the openingsof the inner cylinder is discharged. The grain or seed dischargedthrough the passages thus falls into the discharge passage 7 in thebottom of the hopper and is conducted therefrom through the chute 9 tothe receptacle provided to receive the same. At one end of each of thepassages 26 is formed an inclined deflecting flange 27 which serves toprevent the grain in the cylinder 15 from crowding and clogging up thesepassages. The corn, grain or other seed which are small enough to passthrough the openings in both cylinders will fall onto the deflectingplates 2 and 3 which direct the same to the passage 4 through which thissmall grain or seed is discharged into a suitable receptacle provided toreceive the same.

Arranged at one end of the trough is a feed hopper 28 said hopper havinga discharge spout 29 the lower end of which projects into orcommunicates with the tubular journal 11 on which the adjacent end ofthe screen is mounted. By thus arranging the trough the grain or seedtherefrom is fed through said tubular journal into the inner cylinder asshown. By constructing and arranging the rotary screen 13 of the graderas herein shown and described it will be seen that the seed or grainpassing through the same will be separated or graded into three sizesand the separated grain conducted by the various chutes or dischargepassages provided therefor to the separate receptacles provided toreceive the same.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and operation of the invention will bereadily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantag-es of the invention as defined in theappended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In a separator of the character described, a trough, seed deflectingplates arranged in the bottom of said trough whereby a series ofdischarge passages are formed therein, grain conducting chutes connectedwith said passages, a separating screen revolubly mounted in saidtrough, said screen comprising inner and outer cylinders havingperforations of different size and said outer cylinder having formedtherein near one end a series of discharge passages whereby the seed orgrain too large to pass through the perforations thereof are dischargedtherefrom, heads to close the opposite ends of said cylinders, one ofsaid heads having formed therein discharge passages communicating withthe inner cylinder whereby the grain or seed too large to pass throughthe perforations of said inner cylinder are discharged therefrom, seeddeflecting flanges formedon the discharge passages of said inner andouter cylinders whereby the grain or seed is prevented from cloggingsaid passages, and means whereby the grain or seed is fed to the innercylinder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ORRAL E. CRAIG.

Witnesses:

G. F. ENGLISH, W. A. BUTCHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

